Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – Carson Kidwell knows his high school baseball career is coming to an end this month.

The Solon senior is just focused on making sure that ending comes as late as possible.

“We know our capabilities as a team this year,” Kidwell said. “We have big goals, we want to win a state title so that’s where our heads are at.”

The focus for Kidwell and the Spartans is on reaching the state tournament when the postseason begins later this week.

On Monday Kidwell helped the Spartans pick up a win in their final regular season home game of the season.

Kidwell had a pair of hits including a key two-run double in the fifth inning as Solon downed North Scott 5-1 in a non-conference contest in Solon.

“The biggest thing with Carson is just his leadership,” Solon head coach Keith McSweeney said. “He’s kind of our heart and soul, he’s just a tough kid.”

Kidwell added an RBI single in the first inning and drove in three runs on the night as Class 3A seventh-ranked Solon (22-8) completed a rare split doubleheader sweep on Monday.

Solon defeated South Tama 17-0 in a noon game on Monday afternoon to snap a three-game losing skid before it’s Monday evening win over North Scott.

A state qualifier for the Solon wrestling team last winter, Kidwell learned during wrestling season the emotions that come toward the end of a senior season.

That has helped the Solon catcher be at his best down the stretch this summer.

“I think wrestling helped me prepare me for everything that comes late in the season, we got into late January and all of a sudden we were at senior night and it was time to lock it in,” Kidwell said. “That made me understand that I need to stay consistent throughout the whole season starting with buying in back in February when we started our workouts.”

Kidwell gave Solon an early lead on Monday with an RBI single to left field in the bottom of the first inning.

Luke Deike added an RBI single in the three-run Solon first inning.

“When he stays gap to gap he’s good and he’s had some really good at bats in the last week,” McSweeney said of Kidwell. “Last home game in the regular season and he came through for us.”

North Scott cut the Solon lead to 3-1 with a run in the fourth and had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth.

Solon reliever Tyler Greazel got Ben Clayton to ground into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to preserve the 3-1 lead.

“We had a big double play when Greazel was in there,” McSweeney said. “That could have been trouble, a ball in the gap and that’s a tie game but we get the double play and the defense was good today, no errors and that was big. It’s a good formula for winning.”

Kidwell provided the insurance in the bottom of the inning with a two-run opposite field double that score Dylan Gorham and Maddox Kelley.

“I got to two strikes and I was widening out and I put a good swing on the ball,” Kidwell said. “Coach and I worked that early in the year, buying in to that approach has helped me. He preaches gap balls, power gaps to left center and right center and obviously it’s worked out.”

Sophomore starter Tate Miller earned the win for Solon allowing one run on two hits while striking out five in four innings.

Greazel worked a scoreless inning of relief and Brady Wick allowed just one hit in two scoreless innings.

“We came out we threw strikes, Miller had a strong start,” McSweeney said. “He was able to miss some barrels, he got some swing and miss and that made the job for our defense early.”

North Scott                000  100  0  –  1  5  1

Solon                          300  020  x  –  6  6  0

W – Tate Miller                      L – Sam Shiltz

2B – SOL: Carson Kidwell

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